Life After The War Has SOOO Many Problems
by SumoTheGreat
Summary: The war is over, and Winter is queen. All should be well! But it turns out, running a country comes with many, many problems. The new government can barely keep control, and to appease the angry nobility, the gang is forced to befriend Regina Nightingale, whose connections among the elite are the only thing that can save them from disaster. Beta desperately needed.
1. Preview

**THIS WAS WRITTEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF TELLING EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS FROM THE END OF WAR THAT I MADE UP TO CURRENT TIME IN STORY. REGINA IS THE HEIRESS OF A RICH ARISTOCRAT AND IS A FAIRYTALE PRINCESS OF SOME SORT. PLEASE KEEP A LOOKOUT FOR MARY SUE CHARACTERS AND ENJOY!**

* * *

Regina looked out of the window from inside her luxury hover and sighed. Exactly why was she doing this again? She had every artificial genetic enhancement that would ever prove useful, her parents possessed the largest fortune in the history of mankind, and she could easily intimidate some of the earthen royalty. Why had she let herself be convinced to do this? And why hadn't she chosen any other of her more sensible options?

It was the best of days, it was the worst of days. There were so many events leading up to this, she could hardly count them with her genetically enhanced brain.

It had all started when she had woken up from her artificially induced hypersleep. And oh look, Levana's dead, this random Linh Cinder-Princess Selene-Cyborg _thing_ she knew **nothing about** has overthrown her along with a shell and an earthen criminal and whatever, and now, Levana's crazy stepdaughter is about to be crowned queen, and her entire aristocratic bloodline is about to be history.

At first, she was furious. Her entire life was a blitz of lessons, genetic enhancements, careful planning on behalf of her parents, and even more lessons to prepare for what? An eventual ascent to the lunar throne, perhaps a position as Levana's heir, a marriage to another wealthy aristocrat. But now, all the effort, some on her behalf, some on the behalf of her parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, all gone to waste. Because exactly how does one gain the favor of the new queen or power in her court? As far as she could see, Winter installed her close friends-and that lover, Jacin Clay or whatever his name was-In all the high positions of power. Rumor has it, Winter was even going to remove many of the lunar Court members.

All her life, the world was an Aristocracy somewhat controlled by the Queen. The aristocrats stayed in power through hard work, careful planning and personal sacrifice. Fall in love with a servant? Too bad, one of your family members will have him sent somewhere far away or even killed, before engaging you to the richest man they can find. No one killed him? HOW SCANDALOUS! So too bad, your entire _family_ falls out of power, and the rest of the aristocrats have you murdered out of spite. Lucky enough not to have a drop of noble blood? Too bad, you aren't going anywhere near all our lovely power and riches.

But somehow, with the help of the shell and a small band of revolutionaries, Linh Cinder managed to catch Levana and torture her mind. Then the lupine soldier ripped her throat out.

Fast foward a month, it's princess Winter's coronation, for some reason, despite the fact that Princess Winter was of no royal or even noble blood, had no formal education or experience in politics, and was even slightly loopy from not using her glamour.

The coronation itself was a 'memorable occasion'. The aristocracy had been invited, as per lunar law, and all came. Usually, coronations were fancy celebrations where the aristocrats fought and jostled over the right to greet and congratulate the new monarch first, and all were merry and somewhat drunk. However, the first thing that happened during the coronation was for Winter to personally present Princess Selene, Carswell Thorne, the criminal, 'Wolf', the lupine soldier who abandoned the Lunar Queen's cause and would have been otherwise sentenced to death, Scarlet, the earthen who had been in Winter's menagerie (not that it was anywhere as exciting as Regina's own), and Crescent Moon, the shell as the wonderful heroic saviors of Luna.

The earthen criminal and the lupine soldier looked bored and uncomfortable in their fancy, starched suits, the earthen female ginger had been looking with disgust at-well, every lunar in the room-and the blonde shell looked plain nervous, smiled awkwardly and whispering something incoherent that was registered by Regina's artificially enhanced hearing as 'I am a famous actress. I am a famous actress. These people are my adoring fans. I am a famous actress."

For a moment, Regina's piercing gaze had softened with sympathy-but she pushed that feeling away almost immediately. Shells were disgusting,after all.

Now, the lunar court had very specific, sometimes odd, extremely strict rules of etiquette it was essential to follow. Winter had shown a complete disregard for _three_ of them: Don't present any criminals or traitors under lunar law to an aristocrat unless it is to mock, judge, or humiliate them, don't present anything previously showcased in a menagerie as an equal or superior, and don't EVER expose well-bred aristocrats to something as lowly and absolutely disgusting as a _**shell**_! (That was quoting the code, by the way.)

To add insult to- well, more insult, the earthen referred to as Scarlet was wearing a tiara, an adornment reserved for 13 noble 'houses' of the lunar court during festivities and all manner of celebrations, rule number 59 in the code of etiquette. Not even Emperor Kaito's mother had dared to break that rule during Levana's coronation, and now this insignificant country bumpkin was? How dare they. Such unbelievable obstinacy.

Regina chuckled as she remembered hiding behind a potted plant with her bodyguard, Cassiopeia, and two third-cousins as they glamoured Wolf into dousing Scarlet with the contents of his champagne flute right before they were about to make out or something-stars, they were so indecent-and laughing at how Scarlet had hit him over the head with a silver tray she grabbed off the hands of a passing waiter.

"If I was him, I would have eaten her," whispered Kiara, the first third cousin, desperately trying to hide her smudged lipstick behind her designer purse.

"Do you want to make him do it?" whispered Regina back.

"That might be unsightly." commented Cassie, smirking at the thought.

"But it would be fun," squealed Kiara, clapping her hands in girlish glee.

The second cousin made an odd squeaking noise and ran off, fanning herself violently and bumping into a passing aristocrat.

"Let's not," whispered Cassie.

"But it would be so fun!" moaned Kiara.

"And your sister would faint. I vote nay." muttered Regina, handing Kiara a makeup wipe.

Of course, it was tradition for the matriarch of the highest ranking noble house to throw a welcome party for the new Queen, where only the elite were invited and excess abounded. So, as per usual, Regina's mother, Corliss nightingale, approached Winter with a forced smile and followed by all the other aristocratic matriarchs.

"Please accept my sincere congratulations, your illustrious majesty," cooed Corliss, dropping into a perfect curtsy, painfully free of etiquette breaches. "We'd be most honoured if you would accept an invitation to attend our humble festivities, at the Nightingale Manor, to celebrate your glorious ascent to the throne. My estate is your estate, and for you to make yourself welcome would bring me boundless joy, O righteous queen. "

(This was what was said every coronation, and was meant to be accepted.)

(Seriously, there is a specific measurement of time for each pause, and a many rules involving where emphasis could be put and where it could not, and none of those rules were violated.)

Winter frowned, confused. A nearby lady in peacock feathers moved in, whisper the expected answer, which was equally as complicated and precise as the invitation, but was simply brushed off. Scarlet stepped protectively in front of Winter, glaring contemptuously at Regina's mother.

Regina's non-existent hairs bristled. "Show some respect, peasant," she seethed, quietly enough so that no one noticed.

Scarlet lifted her head proudly and glared down even harder. "Winter will not be going to your party tonight." she snapped.

Corliss was taken aback. Her lips pressed together the slightest little bit, and the hints of a Botoxed frown was beginning to form on her alabaster brow. "No, madam, I beg your pardon, it would be my utmost pleasure-"

"She is not coming, none of us are coming, and that's final." snapped Scarlet, cutting her off, grabbing Winter's wrist and dragging her off.

That night, the party was much different from the usual. The aristocrats gathered around the massive ornate fireplace in the largest parlor in the Nightingale manor, having a polite accountable talk the way they learned during day-to-day tutoring classes on social etiquette.

"Could you imagine," complained Gaile Lyon, a perfumed middle aged heiress with an abusive use of blush, "Such lack of etiquette! I could not believe how we could ever accept a queen who doesn't enforce tradition and rankings."

"Presenting a previous menagerie showcase," gasped Loretta Gregoraci, one of Corliss's ladies of the bedchamber, practically convulsing. "I saw her there and take my word that she was lower than those idiotic tapirs next to her. And at the coronation, SHE WAS WEARING A TIARA! I simply cannot believe it. The insult!"

"It looked horrible on her too." commented Regina, voice showing the required hint of contempt.

A couple of nobles snickered. Gracefully, of course, etiquette rules really did control everything.

The next week, every member of the privy council and some of the royal advisors were stripped of their lands and titles, and banished in disgrace to a small colony on mars, with no formal explanation from the queen. An inexperienced court official who had been irrational enough to go after Winter with a Swiss army knife had been attacked by a Wolf,(furry mammal, not the lupine soldier), and one of his fingers was bitten off, before that guard Winter had an affair with choked him to death. Thaumaturge Aimery and a few others were dismissed, the way someone would fire incompetent kitchen maids instead of high-ranking army officials who had served the previous **2** monarchs well.

At her mother's request, Regina had hosted a massive memorial, and given a five-hour-long speech commemorating their achievements and service to luna, before hinting at how random and uncalled for the banishment seemed.

"These people have served Luna the best they can all their lives, and have brought us much glory and success. And how do we repay them? Banishment and disgrace. So farewell, loyal citizens of Luna, and I beg you to be aware that we as a nation are much obliged."

One memorial turned to two, one speech turned to ten, and pretty soon, Regina was indirectly becoming leader of a people on the brink of revolution.

Did she want Winter off the throne? Yes. Did she want to be able to pass laws without the senate and the supreme court's approval? Definately, the senate was full of imbeciles. Would her parents undoubtedly force her to? Of course, getting an heiress on the throne was more or less their mutual life goal. But a revolution? HELL NO!

It was common knowledge that revolutions were violent and horribly damaging to personal property. And we aren't sure whether it was inherited from the mother or the father or simply programmed genetically, Regina was overprotective of her material goods, estates, and that massive vault of gold, jewels, and liquid cash.

So, they did what they always did: they looked in the royal archive and found a few acts, laws, and bills that declared that the leader of the revolution should live for a week in the palace, interacting as he/she might to with close friend, with the Queen and her company, the following week the Queen and her company would live with the leader of the revolution, and everyone repeated this until they had wasted two months. At the end of the two months, the most radical leaders of the revolution and the people directly or indirectly wielding the most power got together and made some major compromises. The idea was that everyone knew each other better and became such good friends that they were no longer tempted to even bother fighting.

These laws came from an embarrassing era in lunar history when everyone worshiped the teachings of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

And of course, as the leader, Regina was everyone's first choice. Well, everyone except for Scarlet, who insisted that Regina would be stuck-up and bratty and spoiled-which wasn't that unreasonable, considering how much her mother tried to accomplish just that, insisting that the spoiled heiress was a sign of wealth-or try to murder them all in their sleep, but it wasn't like she would prefer any of the other options, and Queen Winter and Princess Selene and all those others had no preference.

Therefore, arrangements had been made, a hectic week of etiquette lessons and meetings discussing an ascent to the throne were edited into Regina's schedule, and at this moment, she was on her way to the lunar palace, where she would be staying with Queen Winter and that small, rag-tag group of rebels responsible for the overthrow of queen Levana.

"Well, well," muttered Regina as she dug around her purse, pulling out a diamond-studded pocket mirror. Flipping it open, she examined her complicated hair and make-up, putting every speck of glitter and every dab of color under scrutiny. Her reflection, of course, was nothing like the glamour she was wearing, as Regina had never considered herself beautiful, even with the help of plastic surgery and makeup and a five-person prep team.

Regina frowned. She hated the sight of her slightly-too-long nose, her slightly-too-high cheekbones, the tiny bump in her skin where the dermatologist had messed up on last month's hydraulic acid skin plumper. She hated how the sight of her face would never achieve perfection-never achieve the sheer beauty of Winter or the lunar beauty ideal or the femininity of her own mother.

But that could all be ignored and forgotten during the busy days, cursed only to return to plague her thoughts at night.

Seeing that the mascara on her left eye had slightly clumped, Regina frowned and pulled a make-up wipe out of her purse to remove the mascara. Of course, she ended up removing a large swatch of eyeshadow as well.

"Darn it," she hissed, fumbling through her purse for that-

The hover jerked to a sudden stop.

The a butler from the palace who had been sent to greet Regina opened the hover door and dropped into a bow.

Regina froze, stiffening into a straighter position, one hand still clutching the wipe, the other still shoved into the purse.

As the butler rose again to a standing position, he raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth jerking into the hints of a mocking smirk before it was quickly smothered. How the others would laugh when they heard how he had caught the heiress of Archduchess Corliss Nightingale with her appearance so flawed?

"My Ladyship," he began, "your presence is greatly-"

"Yes, thank you," Regina cut him off, cheeks flushing bright red, glamour instinctively correcting her imperfect appearance and pushing the memory of the incident out of the butler's thoughts. Her back straightened itself into the perfect posture, she held her head high, and she released the wipe, now stained black from mascara. "Please inform her majesty that I have arrived, and that I'll be with her shortly. Oh, and do have someone prepare red velvet gelato with gold leaf? I fear I am dreadfully hungry from the trip."

* * *

 ** _WTFH was that? Any feedback is appreciated, this might become a huge multi-chapter novel during the course of summer break, so follow, fave, and put this on alerts. I sneak Easter eggs and pop culture references whenever I can, so keep a lookout for those during the next few chapters. The second chapter is almost done. I am always ready to take constructive criticism and feedback, so send in those reviews!_**

* * *

Also, I think I we should do something of this sort: rate the story out of ten, type the number into the review box, and hit send. I'll get back to you if I can, but you can ignore me if you want.

Truly yours,

SiberianTiger. Sumo Sumo, out!


	2. Regina came and Iko is a cat person

**Oh look, I updated even though no one reviewed or followed or anything. Oh well, just keep swimming, am I right?^-^**

 **Shout out to a certain beautiful, wonderful, amazing person who we all know and love who has the intelligence follow, favourite, or review this story, because more will come soon!**

Cress sighed, bunching the skirt of her dress between two fists as she listened half-heartedly to the chattering of Regina's lady's companion, Cassiopeia or whatever her name was.

 _(Side note:In greek myths, Cassiopeia is the Queen of Ethiopia, mother of Andromeda (who married Perseus) and wife of Cepheus. She was an idiot that bragged about being prettier than the nereids, who were 50 minor ocean goddesses. Then Poseidon got all offended and send this sea monster named Cetus to terrorize Ethiopia. Someone decided that Andromeda had to be sacrificed, but luckily Perseus saved her. Then Cassiopeia somehow saw Medusa's severed head, turned to stone, and got put as a constellation.)_

Cassiopeia had arrived two hours ago. When she had shown up decked in more luxury fabrics and jewelry than the most wealthy Queens of the second era, everyone (including Winter, who had been raised at court) assumed that she was the aristocrat. But no, she was just the 'lady's companion', which apparently was a thing in the lunar court, one that Cress had only distant memories of hearing, sent in advance as per usual to greet the hostess and make friendly conversation.

Then, of course, everyone assumed that the woman in her company was Regina, especially since she wore a badge with a coat of arms-Cress assumed it was the Nightinagle coat-but no, she was just the lady's maid, sent to supervise the preparation of Regina's chambers.

The other three were her assistants.

The other twelve were their assistants.

And so on, and so forth.

By now, Regina was beginning to appear as either impossibly rich, or a coddled princess spoiled rotten, or both.

The two were horrible intermingled.

(Author's note: You may have noticed that the maid couldn't possibly have been Regina if Cassiopeia had been sent in advance. Sorry, we'll just pretend that no one noticed that.)

They sat there, awkwardly, while Cassiopeia faked countless polite smiles and the lady's maid's twiddled their thumbs.

Iko nudged Cinder.

"I think we're supposed to invite her in and serve tea".

Well, that worked.

Winter insisted that they all had to stay and wait the arrival of Regina.

So here they were, sitting awkwardly in the parlour, while Cassiopeia droned on and on and on about how pretty the palace was, and oh was that a new persian rug, and the latest trend in eye colours, while the only person who ever responded was Iko, who seemed to love how someone finally shared her interest in beauty and fashion.

Iko and Cassiopeia seemed to get along just fine, jabbering on and on about jewels and furs and the _handsome_ prince Kai.

When the conversation ebbed away, Cassiopeia turned her attention to the others.

"Now," she purred, smiling, "I'd like you all to know that our lady Regina has sent a surprise."

Leaning into Iko, she added, just loud enough so that Cress could overhear, "If Regina tries to poison you, it's not my fault."

Cassiopeia smiled again, revealing her perfectly bleached incisors. She snapped her fingers, and a nearby butler brought forth-stars, it's like a secret language- a silver platter of some sort of decorative thing.

As the butler bent down to place the tray on the table, Cress looked closer and saw that the decorative things were not actually decorative things, but some sort of expensive dessert, decorated artfully with gold lace and tiny pink diamonds and some sort of pearl.

"Cupcakes, with vanilla caviar, those expensive Amedei chocolates, and decorations made of gold and diamond and pearl," cooed Cassiopeia. "Regina made them herself."

Iko immediately grabbed one and pretended to nibble on a bit of icing-her escort-droid body wouldn't let her eat-and commented about how nice they looked and what a pity it would be to eat it.

The others, however, were more hesitant.

"Is it poisoned?" Scarlet raised an eyebrow and pretended not to be interested.

Cinder stared at the cupcakes for a long time, then hesitantly reached out and picked one up. She didn't make a move to eat it.

Winter stared into space, completely unaware of the cupcakes at all.

Cress didn't know how to react either. In her most extravagant fantasies, she had lived in a palace, worn long evening gowns of satin and expensive silks, and snacked on desserts not unlike these. But now that they were in front of her, she didn't know what to do.

Cassiopeia didn't seem to discouraged by the scenario playing out in front of her.

"Well, I did tell Regina to put champagne jelly, but some of you aren't drinking age, and none of you have an alcohol tolerance like Regina and I do, and-"

Scarlet cut her off. "How old are you?"

Cassiopeia cocked her head to one side as if contemplating all the possible answers. A beat. Then, "I suppose you could say I'm seventeen."

"Do you drink often?" Scarlet sneered contemptuously, as if she had never taken alcohol before.

Cassiopeia smiled again, unaffected by the disgust. "Yes, but I'm completely resistant to the influences of alcohol, and-"

A servant burst into the room. "Lady Regina Nightingale has arrived, and-"

Cinder waved a hand, cutting him off. "Send her in."

The servant bowed and backed out of the room.

A minute later, Regina appeared, dressed in a gown stitched from layer upon layer glossy silk and satin, with a tight bodice. The hem was embroidered lavishly, and the sleeves ended at the elbow with little ruffles. Parts of the dress were set with precious stones, which shimmered in the light of the chandelier. Unlike Cress, who had never bothered to deal with her hair in the last few years, Regina's hair, which was so glossy and shiny it looked like it was spun from pure gold, had been delicately curled and twisted into a perfect updo, topped by a massive head dress made from diamonds. Both hands boasted nude acrylic nails studded with tiny diamonds and patterns of glitter, and adorned with bangle bracelets and rings. One hand was gripping a gold leash attached to the jeweled collar of some sort of cat resembling a small cheetah, which was sitting regally on the marble tiles and gazing intently at it's mistress.

The other hand was fiddling with a veil draped over her face. It didn't match the rest of her imposing, statuesque figure.

Seeing how everyone else was staring, Cress could tell that they too were captivated.

"Pray tell," cooed Regina, voice sweet and melodious, "do any of you resist glamour?"

"I can only be glamoured to a certain extent." Cinder's voice was curt.

"And I'm a shell…" Cress stammered.

Iko cut off her whispering with Cassiopeia to chirp a quick "Me neither" and resumed conversation. A shadow of hurt and jealousy crossed over Regina's face before being quickly smothered by another vague, meaningless smile.

The same vague, meaningless smile that every single lunar aristocrat wore.

Regina's took a deep breath. "Alright then, don't mention anything embarrassing," and-slowly, ever so slowly-pulled off the veil.

She was beautiful. Flawless skin, complemented by bright red lips and dark, dark eyes. Her features were delicate and perfect, her cheeks had just a hint of blush, and her cheekbones were high and sculpted.

Her eyes were possibly the most striking thing Cress had ever seen. Even though they competed with the glossy golden hair and blood-red lips, no one could look away. They held an air of intelligence, of consciousness,and of unparalleled beauty.

Like every other lunar aristocrat, Regina didn't seem to care about looking 'natural'. Her long, thick eyelashes were joined by tiny, multi colored feathers and decorated with gold dust at the tips. The corners of her matte lips were met by gold temporary tattoos, which spiraled upwards, giving her an odd almost-smile.

Cress gaped, unsure how to react or how to break the awkward silence, or-

Cassiopeia jumped up. "Regina! You've arrived! Iko and I were just talking about Prince Kaito, and that guard with the blue eyes, and-"

"Gossipping again, are we?" Regina laughed, eyes lighting up with mirth. " I wish to join. Shall we call for tea and cake and manicures?"

"Wait a minute." Scarlet interrupted. "Cress, I want to talk to you.

Cress jumped up. "Yes, of course-"

"This concerns everyone."

Cress didn't understand.

"Cress," continued Scarlet, "Is our guest really as beautiful as she seems?"

Regina stiffened, the smile slipping off her face. She wrung her hands, and though it was barely noticeable, Cress saw.

She must have forgotten to use her glamour, because the expression on Scarlett's face turned triumphant.

Cress thought for a while. Not because there was any doubt, but because she wasn't sure what to say. Oh yes, of course, Regina's pretty? That didn't even scratch the surface. Should Cress describe everything? Too long, too lengthy, too second-era-classic-type-cliché. Compare Regina to Winter? They were beautiful in completely different ways.

To be honest, Winter didn't even stand a chance against Regina. Winter was graceful, and slender, and had the most beautiful lashes and perfect skin that Cress had seen before today. But Regina was the embodiment of perfection, regal and without flaw .

In the corner of her eye, Cress saw Regina awkwardly shifting from one foot to another, as if she were embarrassed and were wishing she didn't exist.

"Well, Cress?" Scarlet looked smug, like a cat who had cornered it's prey. "Tell the truth."

Cress swallowed. "Yes," she breathed. "Definitely."

Regina sighed in relief.

Scarlet's eyes narrowed.

Winter didn't react. She was too busy unraveling the lace on her skirt and had never cared about who looked good and who didn't anyways.

Cress swallowed. "It's hard to describe," she stammered.

Scarlet's eyes narrowed again. "Well," she snapped, briskly getting up, "I'll be leaving. Wolf?"

Wolf's head snapped up, breaking himself out of his previous trance-like state. "Yes?"

"You're coming too." And with that, Scarlet stormed off.

Regina didn't seem too bothered. She smiled again. "So, does anyone care for a round of rate-the-cute-guy?"

Cassiopeia and Iko jumped up.

"YAAAAAAAS!" squealed Cassiopeia, who the author has made to use second-era teenage slang for practical purposes.

"I'm in," chirped Iko.

Regina dropped gracefully onto a upholstered chair. She beckoned a servant with a tray of gelatos and brightly-coloured drinks with one finger. "I'll start. Thurston, prince of Wales."

"Five," said Iko.

"Four," said Cassiopeia.

"Two." Regina's voice was matter-of-fact.

"Lord Beaconsfield."

"Three."

"Two."

"Negative five."

"Wolf."

"Who's wolf?"

"The guy with bulgy muscles and sideburns."

"Six."

"Seven."

"Five."

Cassiopeia and Iko raised their eyebrows at Regina.

"What?" Regina shrugged. "I'm an aristocrat. I grade low for standards of status.

Scarlet hated Regina. She hated the exaggerated seductiveness of her walk, hated her saccharine voice, hated the way she was so fake and greedy and selfish, like every other one of her kind.

Of course, Scarlet had plenty of experience with rich lunar aristocrats. They had all come to jeer and to taunt and to humiliate the pathetic earthen who was chained and tortured in the menagerie. During those unfortunate times, Scarlet had been hungry, and dirty, and missed Wolf terribly. But even then, at the worst of times, the hardest part was being tortured by the sick lunars and their glamours.

Scarlet dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands, and drew in a sharp breath. It was painful just to recall the memory. The long months spent inside the royal menagerie were infinitely more horrible than her time with master Charleson.

Of course, being the plaything of master Charleson had been unfathomably painful. Sharp-toothed, scale-covered, writhing serpents wriggling into her belly button and winding around her spine? A wart-covered, slimy toad stuffing itself into her mouth and down her throat? A hundred killer wasps, each carrying deadly venom, swarming around her and stinging her time after time after time.

Scarlet shuddered, flinching, as if the serpents and the toad were still there. How could a mere child be so cruel? Every single lunar was born a _monster._

But the lunar aristocrats were older, more experienced, more sadistic. Their glamours created tortures scarier still, able to inflict far more damage. When they grew tired of physical pain, commonplace serpents and the ordinary, everyday pleasures of 5-ton tarantulas, they moved on to sensations of endless falling, of burning to death on a pyre of red-hot coals, of drowning in a murky sea of acid. One particular group of lunars took to showing her fleeting illusions of Wolf, of her grandmother, even of her rescue from that horrible place, just to see her sob and mourn once they disappeared. Another group had the power to manipulate dreams, and were more than happy to give her nightmares of Wolf abandoning her, or of Levana destroying earth, or forcing her to relive the wretched, despairing moments when her dear grandmother had been cruelly taken from her.

Of course, when Scarlet was so numb she hardly noticed the grief, the witches simply moved on to manipulating emotions, not even giving her the luxury of rational judgement. Before, she could tell herself to ignore them, that they were just pathetic lunars with nothing better to do, that Wolf would come for her. That he'd whisk her back to earth, and hold her in his arms, and then everything would be alright.

Now, she could just sob and hug her knees and curl into a ball, hoping her tormentors would leave.

The thought that she was ever reduced to that level disgusted her. And by those pathetic lunars, too.

But even that wasn't enough. As soon as one lunar lost interest and moved on, another took her place. There were so many of them-but they were all really the same,

Not even kind, compassionate Princess Winter could drive them away.

Scarlet thoughts drifted again back to Regina. She smirked. That prissy, entitled, spoiled brat didn't even stand a chance when compared to Winter. No matter what Cress thought or said, Scarlet insisted that her appearance was all glamour-made. After all, how could someone so ugly on the inside be so beautiful on the outside?

Winter, however, was the embodiment of kindness. Her inner beauty far outshone any glamour-made beauty that Regina (or any lunar for that matter) could hope to make. And that was what really mattered.

And Regina, Scarlet knew, was the most self-centered, stuck-up, unethical attention whore she had ever had the misfortune to meet.

No amount of glamour and professional makeup and flamboyant luxury clothes could cover that up.

And of course, as always, Scarlet's hatred had been completely rational. First of all, she relied strongly on glamour, manipulating emotions and painting on a new appearance.

Upon Regina's entrance, Scarlet had been simply awestruck by the sheer image of perfection before her. She had been impressed by the delicate decorations of the cupcakes-though she would never admit it- and even felt a sharp twinge of jealousy when she had seen the way Wolf looked at her.

That was, of course, the reason why she had dragged him away at the first opportunity.

When they left, Wolf insisted that he had no idea what she was talking about.

Scarlet glared at him, face flushing a bright red, practically exploding with fury.

"Hey." Wolf held up both of his hands in a sign of surrender. "I mean it." His features softened. "You're my Alpha, and there's no other girl that I'd rather have than you."

Scarlet kept glaring. Part of her yearned to throw herself into his arms, to touch his lips with her own, to sink into his embrace and forget about all the power-hungry lunars and dead grandmothers.

But this was no time for romance. Especially when all the love and happiness could be torn away whenever the whim hit Regina.

This continued on for a while before the tips of Wolf's ears flushed pink.

Scarlet stormed off, not bothering to see if Wolf followed.

She forgave him soon after. Why bother, when emotions and people were nothing if not mere puppets and playthings in the sadistic talons of Regina Nightingale.

So Regina was lunar, and she had her glamour. And not only did she frequently abuse it, giving herself undue respect and stealing other's men. That alone made Scarlet detest the very sight of her.

Even worse, she was a lunar aristocrat.

Scarlet had learned that they were more involved in politics and world domination than she had previously known.

A lunar aristocrat. The ones that threw Scarlet into abusive menageries and bought her for children's playrooms, as were the a second-era slaves on massive south-american sugar cane plantations, to be dehumanized and suffer as their next generation tried to destroy her fragile, inferior mind. The ones who took their own kind and turned them into beastly lupine soldiers, to be used in a massacre of peaceful, innocent earthens, stripping them of free will and separating them from whatever family they had or whatever future they had planned-not that Lunars really had families.

The ones that (indirectly) murdered her brave, beautiful grand-mère, a harmless old woman, who was so real and kind and dear to Scarlet. Technically, Ran Kelsey had done the killing-but one of the higher ups was bound to have given the order to capture her.

Scarlet dug her nails deep into her palms, not noticing the sharp burst of pain. She hated them both.

A maid knocked on the door. "Lunch in an hour," she said, eyes downcast meekly.

Scarlet waved her away.

"Dinner, eh?" she muttered, not wanting to admit that her heart skipped with as much fear as contempt at the prospect of having to deal with Regina again so soon. "I guess I'll have to go."

Iko was positively _overjoyed_ at the thought of staying with Regina for two whole months.

She'd been so excited when Cassiopeia arrived, dressed in the very latest fashion, hair and make-up flawless, all decked out in the most luxurious gold and jewels Iko had ever seen.

And then, when she'd found out that Cassiopeia was head of the official lunar Emperor Kaito III fan club, Iko had practically exploded with happiness. It wasn't easy, you know, to be the only one with a sense of fashion and eyes for the commonwealth's royal hunk. But would all change. Say goodbye to the pain of the past, Iko. You don't have to feel it anymore.

Cassiopeia had proposed Iko to the member's commitee of the Elite's Society of Prince Kaito Admirer's Leage (ESPKAL) in three minutes flat, without even a single question about her android origins or one doubt about accepting an escort-droid into such an exclusive club.

Iko was accepted before she could squeal with happiness. And why not? She had been in contact with the Emperor far more many times than the rest of the Society.

From now on, She'd would jet off every Sunday to the headquarters (a small manor house on the outskirts of artemisia) to moon over the latest royal photoshoot or to analyse the latest Emperor Kaito news feed.

Better yet, the club had massive shopping/seamstress-using parties where they practically took over AR-4 (shopping district for Artemisian rich people). In fact, clothes and aesthetics were a secondary obsession.

Iko would fit riiiight in.

( _Author's note: Of course I noticed that the club was still the_ Prince _Kaito Admirers and now Kai is the_ Emperor. _The club was founded before his coronation and Prince Kaito sounds better anyways.)_

 _(PS: I nearly named my hamster Prince Kaito. Doesn't it sound good? Told you so. But now his name is Napoleon)_

They'd been talking about Kai's wedding clothes when Regina came in.

Aces, her cat was adorable.

Cassiopeia nudged Iko. "What do you think about her dress?"

Iko's eyes widened. "Is the bodice covered entirely with grade-A _diamonds_?"

Cassiopeia smiled and nodded.

Iko gasped. "Are those the pink grade-A diamonds? Aren't they practically impossible to get?"

Cassiopeia shrugged. "Regina owns the monopoly on them. They're not hard to get."

"The monopoly on _diamonds_?"

"I wish! Regina only owns the monopoly on mining, sales, and distribution."

"That's practically everything. Hey, why is her face covered?"

"Knowing Regina, she's unhappy with her eye make-up or something. That, or Lady Nightingale thought there was something wrong with her face today."

"Why didn't she glamour it?"

Ironically, this was the point where Regina decided the awkward silence had dragged on too long.

"Pray tell," she cooed, "do any of you resist glamour?"

"I can only be only glamoured to a certain extent."

"I'm a shell."

"ME NEITHER!" Chirped Iko.

Cassiopeia elbowed her, miffed ever-so-slightly by being interrupted. "Because you can't be glamoured. And Cress too, I think. Is that her name? Cress?"

"You know, for a famed actress and model, she sure hates her appearance."

"There's a long story behind that."

This was when the veil came off.

Iko gasped. "Her eyelashes are sooo pretty! And those brows, uh, what was that term again?"

"On fleek?"

"Yes, that. And that liner-Is that a double-mod cat eye?"

"The very latest fashion."

"Why did she hide her face? She's somehow prettier than I am!"

The corner of Cassiopeia's mouth twitched upwards.

"Somehow prettier than you are?"

"I've only had this escort-droid fixed last month. I am still quite excited."

Cassiopeia cocked her head to one side and blinked, as if in shallow thought.

"Right now is when I break the silence."

A smile plastered itself across her face. Cassiopeia jumped up and spread her hands.

"Regina! You've arrived! Iko and I were just talking about Prince Kai, and the guard with the blue eyes, and-"

This was were Scarlet cut her off-rather rudely,- and got all upset for reasons that Iko didn't understand.

Then, when Scarlet was gone (not that Regina and Cassiopeia really seemed to have cared) they had a positively brilliant discussion (or rather, a game of rate-the-cute-guy) in which Cassiopeia had proved significantly more fun than Regina, who pointed out the flaws in each and ruined it a little.

And now, they were sprawled out on the floor of Regina's portable hover-closet, covered in pretty clothes and jewelery, nibbling on caramel popcorn from a big bowl and raspberry-lemon tarts, laughing so hard they could barely breathe.

"KITTENS IN KNEE SOCKS AND GIANT FLOPPY BOWS?" gasped Cassiopeia, barely able to hold her sides together.

"THEY CAN BARELY WALK PROPERLY," giggled Regina. It really was odd how she could have been so lady-like and regal a few hours before, and had now the reserve and sensibility of a teenage girl at a sim-singer concert.

The next thing they did was attack the cat (which was, in fact, a mix between serval, caracal, cheetah, savannah and other big cats, genetically modified to be loyal and smart and etc, by Regina's personal genetic modifications team) and put it in knee socks and pink bows.

It did not look very happy.

"Awww, Foofy," gushed Regina, the cat's face gripped in both hands, "Just look at you. You look sooo adorable."

Cassiopeia nudged Iko.

"I find her infatuation rather odd."

Regina looked up and laughed. "I know, I know. I'm the Nightingale heiress and I like cats. Especially the viscous, stealthy, bird-hunting type."

Bow-wearing Foofy was viscous and stealthy indeed.

Cassiopeia and Regina pushed themselves off the rich carpeting at the exact same moment and headed over to a well-stocked vanity in the corner. Regina nudged Cassiopeia and grabbed a tiny pot of gel liner.

"Cassie. Let's do Iko's makeup."

"Yaaas. Definately."

Iko spoke up. "Only if I get to do yours after."

Regina giggled. "Deal. But these eyelash extensions are permanent."

Iko giggled back and clambered over, plopping down on a nearby chair.

"What do you think, Cassie?" Regina had pulled out a palette of colours and was now holding it up next to Iko's face.

"Hmmm...marshmallow on the tear ducts, then the chocolate spectrum pallette by Lacôme on the inner lid, over a base of pearl of sable from the Anastasia by Benefit, and Cherry Cordial blended into the crease?"

"Maybe. But it's hard to compliment blue hair." Despite this expression of doubt, Regina was happily pulling out said palettes and brushes from the remarkably organized drawers.

Cassiopeia pulled out a couple of foundations (liquid, powder, serum) and comparing them to Iko's skin tone.

"Why do you keep foundation in so many different shades?" Iko's curiosity had gotten the better of her.

Cassiopeia giggled. "The lunar aristocrats change skin tone everyday. Though I've never been as dark as you are now."

Iko giggled back, more out of habit than out of humour. "Well, captain Thorne was in Africa when he got this, so naturally, I'm dark." She glanced down and frowned. "It's very pretty, but it doesn't go well with those pale blue eyes I wanted."

Regina looked up from digging through mountains of make-up to smile sympathetically and pat Iko's hand. "There there, you could use the special mirror I keep in here if you want...to, you know, test out what you would look like if you got a spray-lightening treatment?"

"What's that?"

"The opposite of a spray tan."

"No, what's the mirror?"

Regina blinked, deep in thought. "In simple language, it takes the images inside a person's brain and displays them in as much detail as the best of human eyes can see on a full-length netscreen decorated to resemble a fancy mirror in order to show what we look like with glamours."

"Oh." Iko felt a small twinge of envy. Why could lunars change appearance anytime they wanted to through glamour while she couldn't? It was soo unfair.

"I mostly use it to test out new looks, though. Mumsy hates it when I glamour appearances." Regina's voice had reverted to monotone. She shook her head, and her features contorted back into her everyday, purposeless smile.

"Do you want to use it right now? You could see what I'm going to paint you into," she offered.

Iko nodded and Regina pushed a button, and a set of drapes drew back, revealing a mirror, spanning from floor to ceiling in it's own little alcove that Iko hadn't even noticed before.

"This was here before, you know," Regina fiddled idly with her ring, possibly waiting for the sight to sink in before actually turning it on. "Levanna had it installed three years before. My research team developed the technology and I hold the patent, so I got a nice cut of $50,000 univs. Most lunars are willing to pay ridiculous amounts for these."

Iko nodded, looking around. "Is there an "on" button, or…"

"Computer activated. It connects to a chip inside the mind of some glamour-affected person via bluetooth."

The mirror blinked on, showing Iko's reflection next to what she assumed was Regina's glamour.

The image reflected was classically beautiful, with milky white skin, glossy auburn hair twisted into a basic updo before falling into curled ringlets, and an anorexically thin and unrealistically curvaceous figure.

The woman beside Iko and her reflection were two different people.

"I thought you didn't use glamour?"

"You don't like what you see?" Regina raised an eyebrow, but didn't seem insulted.

"NO! Not at all, I think it's gorgeous. But why?"

"Mumsy makes exceptions sometimes. And anyways, it's not like she can make me change it back when she won't see me except for during holographic comms."

Cassiopeia snorted. "You know, normally when hormones are regulated by the pill, you'd think that teenagers aren't rebellious."

"Shut up. And that reminds me, I need my medication." retorted Regina, calling a servant.

"How creative you are! And at least when I glamour my appearance, I don't plagiarize the main character of a romance novel."

"That's right. You pick the main character of a second era sci-fi novel, tweak her appearance a little bit so the jewelry is fashionable, and go as that." Regina popped a handful of pills into her mouth and dismissed the servant, pausing to mutter a quick "thank you" and dropped a pair of earrings sitting on a nearby table onto the girl's tray.

Iko didn't notice these things often, but the servant girl's uniform wasn't that of the palace. It was a light, creamy pink with some sort of coat-of-arms embroidered on the sleeve.

Cassiopeia cleared her throat. "Technically it's based off of the movie adaptation for the first two books. And besides, this week has been 'girl on fire' themed at the club."

The club in question was the one Iko joined earlier.

"Girl on fire themed?" she repeated, confused.

"A book about a girl who fought in a televised arena as some sort of gladiator," answered Regina. "Her costume designer managed to create artificial flames for her dresses, and then this announcer branded her the 'girl on fire'."

"We recreate her dresses one by one," cheered Cassiopeia. "Then we glamour the flames into reality."

"It's...surprisingly not horrible." admitted Regina.

Cassiopeia clapped one hand over her heart and pretended to be touched. "AAAAAAWWWWW, That is sooo sweet!"

Regina shot her a mock glare. "Shut up. Mumsy says that ladies must admit the truth whenever necessary, especially to avoid appearing resentful."

She grabbed her hair (which had been taken out of it's updo in an hour-long process) in one hand and shook it out, causing a few strands to fly out of the perfect curls.

Her glamour, however, remained as perfect as it had been before.

A sly smirk appeared on Regina's features. "And I suppose, Cassie daaaarling, that you neglected to mention that _I_ was the one who created the flames on your dress?"

"And that it was _I_ who created the feathers in your eyelashes?"

"You ordered them from AR-4."

"From MY personal seamstress. And touched them up with glamour when you made that entrance today."

"I would have done it myself, had I not been preoccupied with trying to make a good impression? Those take effort."

Cassie beamed. "You're welcome!"

Regina shrugged. "You know what? We'll have a glamour contest."

Cassiopeia nodded eagerly. "Who do we use? Ooo, the lupine soldier. Don't they resist glamour?"

"Not like that. We'll both create artificial flames and see who's are better."

"Better, as in more realistic?"

"The three categories will be realism, beauty and how well the match the dress in question."

"Dress of my choice?"

"Sure, why not. We'll bring out the mirrors that take glamour and do it during dinner, so that everybody can judge."

"Deal?"

"Deal."

"What do we bet?"

Regina tilted her head to one side. "Let's see...a yacht?"

"It's not like we'll use it for another month. Breakfast in bed for a month?"

"You'd get more out of it than I would."

"Then...the other's seamstress for a month?"

Regina grinned maliciously. "Yes. Wait, weren't we doing Iko's makeup?"

Iko nodded. "Yeah! And I think you wanted to do my nails and hair, too."

Regina laughed. "Fine. I think you'd do nicely with either striking red nails, or some sort of nude that fades away."

"Nude." Insisted Cassiopeia.

"Red." Retorted Regina.

"Nude."

"Red."

"Nude."

"Fine."

"Deal."

"Good."

"YAAAAS!"

And then all hell broke loose.


End file.
